Rack of Lamb with a Herbes de Provence and Pinot Noir Sauce

It’s nearly springtime According to the US Naval oceanography Portal; the spring equinox will begin on the 20th March 2009 at 11.44am and I am really looking forward to the new season foods especially the spring lamb and vegetables.

Our local butcher is already getting in the new season Welsh lamb the taste is milder than summer or autumn lamb and it is deliciously tender.

Here in the United Kingdom British spring lamb is especially hard to beat and you have the luxury of eating it with local spring vegetables so I use baby spring vegetables such as carrots, purple sprouting broccoli and calabrese broccoli from Lincolnshire and other regions of Britain, chicory, garlic, leeks, mint, onions, parsley, parsnips, radishes, seakale, sorrel and spring greens will be in season.

Later on about mid April you will find spring cabbage, carrots, dandelion, wild garlic, kale, leeks, wild mushrooms, Jersey Royal potatoes, radishes, wild sorrel, spinach and watercress. Broad beans, peas, asparagus and caulis (cauliflowers) will be fresh in season towards the end of British springtime.

This is a recipe that Lady H got from the editor of Bon Appétit magazine when out in Palm Springs probably about 1993; I think the Hanson’s went to the editor’s house for dinner. I had to change it of course for Lord & Lady Hanson by removing the garlic, but here I have put it back in.

The first time we served this the regular gang was there, Lord and Lady H, Mr and Mrs Green, Mr and Mrs Scott Barrett, Jimmy Ross and Bill Creasey, I think we finished the meal off with fresh pineapples flown in that day from Hawaii.

Rack of Lamb with a Herbes de Provence and Pinot Noir Sauce

This mouth-watering rack of lamb is effortless to make, served with a tasty Pinot Noir sauce, this makes it an impressive recipe for that exclusive dinner.

Serves / Makes: 8 servings

Prep-Time: 1 ½ hours

Cook-Time: 20 minutes

You Will Need For the Sauce

1 tablespoon, olive oil

1 kilo 350 grams, neck of lamb or stewing lamb

450 grams, onions, coarsely chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon, Herbes de Provence

4½ cups, Pinot Noir or other dry red wine, a good Gamay is great for this recipe though I have made it with a Nuits-St-Georges

3 cups, good strong chicken stock

1-tablespoon butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons, plain flour

For The Lamb

1 cup, finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

¼ cup, finely chopped fresh thyme

¼ cup, finely chopped fresh rosemary

¼ cup, finely chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon, ground black pepper

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 by 650 grams, well-trimmed 8-rib racks of lamb, preferably frenched (see note)

Method;

The Sauce;

Heat the oil in heavy large pan over medium to high heat. Add the lamb and sauté until a nice deep brown, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the lamb to a bowl. Add the onions, carrot, garlic, and Herbes de Provence to the pan and sauté until the vegetables are deep brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine and stock to the pan; return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the pan.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours.

Strain into large bowl, pressing on the solids in strainer to release all the stock. Spoon off any fat from the surface of the stock and return the stock to the same large pan. Simmer until reduced to 1 and 1/3 cups, about 15 minutes.

Mix the butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste and then whisk the paste into the stock. Simmer the sauce until slightly thickened and smooth, whisking constantly, about 1 minute longer.

Season with salt and pepper (The sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead). Transfer to a small saucepan, cover, and chill. Re-warm before using.

For The lamb

Stir the fresh herbs and pepper in a medium bowl to blend, add 2 tablespoons of oil and mix until the herbs are sticking together.

Sprinkle the lamb racks with salt; firmly press 1/3 of the herb mixture over the rounded side of each rack to cover. (This can be prepared 1 day ahead).

Place on large rimmed baking sheet. Cover and chill.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / Gasmark 4.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 1 lamb rack to the frying pan, herbed side down.

Sauté until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the rack over and sauté until browned, about 3 minutes. Place rack, herbed side up, on rimmed baking sheet Repeat, fitting the remaining racks on the same sheet.

Roast the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the centre registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Let the lamb rest on the sheet 15 to 20 minutes.

Cut the lamb between the bones into individual chops, and arrange 3 chops on each plate, drizzle with the sauce Serve and Enjoy!

Notes:

A butcher will French the racks for you, but it is easy and fun to do this yourself.

Simply cut along the back of the rack, just above where the meaty part of the lamb is. Turning the knife upwards, scrape the gristly meat off to expose the rib bones. Cut between each of the ribs, taking out the tiny amount of meat found there. Scrape away the bones until they are clean and white. Lay the rack down, back uppermost, and make shallow criss-cross incisions in the fat.

Technorati Tags: Recipes,Cooking,Lamb,Mutton,Bon Appétit magazine,Lord Hanson,Lady Hanson,Herbes De Provence,Pinot Noir,Mr and Mrs Green,Mr and Mrs Scott Barrett,Jimmy Ross,Bill Creasey

Oxtail Soup

One of the much-loved soups of the Great British public, and memories of when the local butcher's shop sold oxtails inexpensively.

This soup is one of our favourite soups and the one I always used in the hotels, for Mr. and Mrs. Finken at Lodge Hill as well as for lord and Lady Hanson.

To make this soup a real winner for a dinner party replace 1 pint of the stock with red wine and near the finish add 3 tablespoon of a good port.

Serves/Makes: 4

Prep-Time: 20 minutes

Cook-Time: 4 hours

You Will Need;

1 oxtail

2 carrots diced

1 turnip diced

1 onion diced

4 tablespoons dripping or oil

1 tablespoon seasoned flour

6, peppercorns

2 sprigs, fresh thyme

3 tablespoons parsley chopped finely

1 bay leaf

4 pints water or beef stock

Method:

Joint the oxtail and blanch it (put it into a saucepan with a pinch of salt, cover with cold water, and bring to the boil.

Strain off the water, put the joints into cold water for a minute, and then wipe them with a cloth.

Season the tablespoon of flour with salt and pepper, and coat the joints of oxtail with it, I find it best to place the seasoned flour into a plastic food bag and then add the oxtail and give it all a good shake.

Melt the dripping or oil in a saucepan, and brown the joints well, turning them over so that all sides are browned. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil, boil gently for about 30 minutes, skimming off the scum as it rises.

Tie up the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, and parsley in a piece of muslin.

Pour off any excess fat, add the herb and spice parcel and diced vegetables, season with salt & pepper and simmer for three and a half hours, then strain off the stock.

Set aside the pieces of oxtail, rub the vegetables through a sieve or you can use a blender, skim off any fat from the stock, and add the vegetable puree to it. Put in a saucepan; if the soup seems a little thin remove some of the soup let cool slightly and whisk in a tablespoon of flour whisk this into the simmering soup and let simmer until the flour has cooked in and thickened the soup, serve hot.

   

 

The Glens Tags: Soups, Broths, Chowders, Consommés, Meat Soups, Oxtail, Lodge Hill, Lord Hanson, Lady Hanson

Lamb Cutlets Reform

One of the very first dishes I learnt to make as a 15-year-old boy in the Army Catering Corps, this was at Clayton Barracks, Aldershot, and the occasion was for a dinner for the officer’s mess. Since then I have cooked it for countless people and it became a very popular lunchtime meal for Lord Hanson and some of his business friends including Eddie George, the governor of the bank of England.
Alexis Soyer invented this dish at the Reform Club, London in the 1830’s when the late entrance of a difficult and hungry club member and a resourceful chef who had to make the most of what he had in his kitchen may clarify the invention of this rather extraordinary recipe. Reform sauce is piquant and deliciously seasoned with herbs and spices and is one of Soyer's most famous recipes. The recipe has been changed over time but this is as close to the original as I can make it.
The club is still open with Lamb Cutlets Reform a popular item on the menu

Serves/Makes: 4
Prep-Time: 12 to 15 minutes
Cook-Time: 10 to 12 minutes

You Will Need;
8, lamb cutlets, each weighing about 4 ounces each
2 ounces, cooked ham, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon, chopped parsley
3 ounces, fresh white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil for frying
A good knob of butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For The Sauce
2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
A generous pinch of cayenne pepper
2 ounces of butter
2 teaspoons, plain flour
½-teaspoon tomato purée
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1-tablespoon redcurrant jelly
½ a pint, of a good strong beef stock, I now use a Knorr beef stockpot (you know the jellied stock)
1 ounce of sliced Ox tongue
1 small cooked beetroot weighing about 3 ounces, peeled and cut into strips like the tongue
2 large gherkins cut into strips like the tongue
White of 1 large hard boiled egg, shredded into strips the same size as the tongue

Method:
To make the sauce gently cook the shallots, garlic, and cayenne pepper in half of the butter for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the flour and tomato purée and stir well, add the vinegar and redcurrant jelly and simmer for about one minute, then add the stock, bring to a boil, and simmer gently for 15 minutes season to taste, and whisk in the remaining butter.
Trim the cutlets to remove most of the surrounding fat this is known as French trimmed. Scrape the bone absolutely clean to within 1 inch of the 'eye' of the meat.
Mix the chopped ham, chopped parsley and breadcrumbs together. Season the lamb cutlets and coat with the beaten egg and then cover with the ham and breadcrumb mixture. Cover and chill until required.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a frying pan on a medium heat and cook the cutlets for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden, adding the butter towards the end.
Arrange the cutlets on a warmed serving dish and garnish each one with a cutlet frill.
To serve, combine the julienne of tongue, beetroot, gherkin, and egg white in a serving dish, pour the sauce into a sauceboat and serve separately.

We love these served with Pommes Anna and sliced runner beans

The Glens Tags: Lamb and Mutton, Lamb Cutlets, Reform Sauce, Reform Club, Alexis Soyer, Army Catering Corps, Clayton Barracks, Wilton Lodge, Lord Hanson, Bank of England, Eddie George

Chicken and Asparagus with Gruyere Cheese

For this delightful dish, boneless chicken breast and asparagus are coated in a sumptuous white wine sauce with a abundant measure of melted Gruyère cheese, tarragon and lemon give a boost to a mouth-watering flavour that is just right with asparagus.

Serves / Makes: Four

Prep-Time: 5 minutes

Cook-Time: 30 minutes

The Glens Tags: Chicken Recipes, Asparagus, Gruyère, Easy

You Will Need;

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup, chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup plain flour, divided
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 ¼ pounds), trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon, salt
• ½ teaspoon, freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon, olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1/3 cup low fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Method:

1. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until just tender, remove from the heat drain, and set to one side.
2. Whisk the stock and 2 teaspoons of the flour in a small bowl until smooth, set aside.
3. Place the remaining ¼ cup of flour in a shallow dish, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge both sides in the flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat; add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes each side, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching.
5. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
6. Add the shallots, wine and the reserved stock mixture to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium low; stir in the sour cream, tarragon, lemon juice and the reserved asparagus until combined.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce, sprinkle the cheese on top of each piece of chicken, cover, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Avocado Mousse with Shrimp/Prawns

This promptly became a firm favourite with guests at Norwood West even though Lord Hanson wasn’t fond of it he would sometimes have the mousse if it was served with lobster instead of shrimp/prawns.

Serves / Makes: 8

Prep-Time: 12 minutes

Cook-Time: 20 minutes plus chilling time

You Will Need;

• 2 avocados, ripe
• 5 fluid ounces hot stock
• 1/2 ounce gelatine powder
• 1/2 lemon, juice only
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 5 fluid ounces Greek yoghurt
• 5 fluid ounces mayonnaise
• 1 lb large shrimp, in shell
• Walnut salad dressing
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Peel the shrimp and place the shells into 10 fluid ounces of water and boil for 20 minutes, strain then reduce the liquid to 5 fluid ounces this is the Hot Stock.

Lightly oil 8 small ramekins.

Put 3 tablespoons of the stock and the gelatine into a bowl and stand it in a pan of simmering water, stir until the gelatine has dissolved, then pour it into the bowl of a food processor or blender with the rest of the stock.

Peel and stone the avocados and roughly chop the flesh, add to stock in the processor along with the lemon juice and garlic, blend until smooth.

Put the mixture into a bowl and stir in the yoghurt and mayonnaise, mix thoroughly and season to taste. Spoon the mixture into the oiled ramekins, cover with cling film and chill until set.

When you are ready to serve, slide a palette knife around the edge of each ramekin and ease the mousse away from the sides. Turn the mousses out onto serving plates and top each one with some of the shelled shrimp and drizzle some of the walnut dressing over each mousse.

Serve with crusty bread and a few salad leaves.

LiveJournal Tags: Appetizers,Canapés,Starters,Shellfish

Baby Artichokes with a Herb & Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

Lady H just loved these (without the garlic) and we had them for many lunch parties, serve simply with a mixed salad of baby lettuce leaves.

Serves: six as a starter or four as a light lunch
Time: 30 minutes

You Will Need

24, Baby Artichokes
2 tablespoons, Fresh Lemon juice, about 1/2 a lemon
For The Dressing,
3 cloves, garlic, minced fine
4 tablespoons, Lemon juice
3 tablespoons, Mixed Italian Herbs, (I use a blend of Oregano, Basil, Marjoram, Thyme, Parsley and Rosemary. In the UK there is now a product from Gourmet Garden who does all the hard work for you, these are not dried herbs).
3/4 cup, Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Method:

Just before cooking, turn each baby artichoke against the blade of a very sharp stainless steel paring knife to trim off the outermost layer of leaves.
Cut off the stems level with the bottom of the artichoke, and cut off and discard the top half, toss in lemon juice to keep them from discolouring.
Set the trimmed artichokes in a non aluminium pan with sufficient cold water to cover them by about 1-inch. Place a small plate on top of the artichokes in the pan, to keep them underwater.
Bring to a simmer over a high heat, turn the heat to low and keep the artichokes at a simmer for about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, create the vinaigrette, mix together the garlic, lemon juice and herbs, whisk in the oil and Season with Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper.
Stab the artichokes with a paring knife to check that they are cooked just right, they should feel like a slightly undercooked boiled potato.
When done, drain and pour vinaigrette over them and serve.